The Joke's On Me
by The Small Joker
Summary: Given the opportunity, Luna took the chance to experience the world of the Joker. She however, didn't know it comes with more than just the cliché jokes of a madman. Joker x OC
1. First Impressions

**Chapter 1**  
><strong>First Impressions<strong>

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><p>The time was about three o'clock in the morning. I was spending my time on the internet browsing random websites, watching funny videos, anything that would keep me awake. I always enjoyed the dark night time. It gave me a peaceful state of mind and, I always found it beautiful. The mesmerising colour of the night sky, the shimmering stars; mostly clouds here in Arkham, thought.<p>

After many long tedious nights, staring into my computer screen, I finally found something that would keep me wide awake. All these news, these newspaper articles. They all displayed something that I wish I could have. Something which I could never achieve. This chaos, this madness, this never ending…excitement. This man had it all. He had everything that I wanted. He was not afraid, not even of the Batman. To be more precise, they were like two sides of the same coin. They both deserved each other. I had always loved Batman, for he was someone who stood out from this rotten society, but this man, he had intoxicated me. Everything about him was like a dream, like an adventure that you always wanted to have. Every time I even heard his name it made my blood boil.

Thinking back on it now, I think that was why I had lost many of my relationships with people. I still obviously had my family; my mother and stepfather. I did have a couple of friends left from my school days but I didn't keep in touch with them very much. I loved them all, but I always knew I disappointed them. Everyone around me always had high expectations of me, of who I would become, but all I wanted was to find what made me happy. This man, has revealed to me what I wanted in life. I wanted to meet him. I had to meet him.

During this time, I had no idea of what my life was to become. The overwhelming sensations, the pain, the guilt, the glory, the chaos; they all gave me meaning to my once empty life. And you know what they say? 'When the mind wants, the heart follows', or something like that. Ha. I don't even know.

"Luna…" I could faintly heard my voice being called out. "Luna wake up!"

I quickly opened my eyes out of shock. Surprised, I saw my mother standing next to my bed. She seemed worried.

"Ughh...what time is it?" I said, mumbling under my breath.

"It's 2pm. You've been awake all night again? Haven't you?"

"Not really...no."

"Yh, yh."

I wasn't really in the mood for lectures when I woke up. I had a massive headache again. Maybe this not sleeping at night thing was really getting to me. That was only because I had to wake up during the daytime. I would gladly sleep all day if it was my choice.

My mother has always been like this. I know she wants the best for me, but I, don't want the best for me. To avoid her lectures and dissatisfied stares towards me, I told her I was off job hunting, as they call it. I did it mostly just to calm my mother's nerves because her daughter was such a failure.

Wearing the same old black trainers, jeans and a random red, tight t-shirt I found, I left the house. I'm not really one to have a full wake up routine with breakfast, jogging and all that bullshit. Honestly, I just wanted to leave the house for a while. I may be a night owl, but I never said I was a shut in.

I had wondered on the alleys of Arkham City many times. I spent most of my days here since I was a child. Never really got into any trouble thought. Today, however I had a sullen mood. I was getting sick and tired of the same routine which I lived through all my life up to now. I thought to myself when will I be able to do something worthwhile. If not today, then when?

I walked down the scruffy ally behind the once extravagant bar around my area. This place was where I could be alone to myself. It was an empty and abandoned building with broken windows, walls covered in graffiti, officially making it now a part of Arkham. I slowly opened the rusty iron doors which led to the inside. When you walk in you can smell the stench of tramps and their repulsive alcohol which they drink. I always felt disgusted to walk past them when they would stay here, but in my luck, I was there alone. To my luck the bar had two floors. The first for the scum of Arkham, and the second, for the not so scum of Arkham, but the scum of Gotham. I always chose to rather sit at the top, than the bottom. I wandered, drowsily, still from my headache, to the third private VIP booth. It was the only one which was still in tack and the curtains were still in satisfactory condition to close them while all the other booths had either been broken with the chairs and tables stolen.

When I spent my time here I always felt as though I had an infinite amount of it. To think and to wonder of how my life has been going and where it's leading to and all the things I could do to change it, yet none of them seemed to be what I wanted. It's a really strange thing this life. You're born to live and achieve something to leave behind as long as it benefits everyone, even if it doesn't benefit you.

As I sat there, alone thinking, I didn't even realise what was happening for the past half hour or so. Although I had thought I was alone then, it seems that I was mistaken. I was hearing voices coming from the ground floor, mostly near the bar area. It sounded like at least ten, maybe more men. I didn't quite make out what they were talking about, only that they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I slowly opened the curtains from the corner, just to be safe and looked to see. I could barely see them from this angle, as the railings on the second floor were blocking my view. I could faintly make out their appearance. Most wore white masks. They seemed to look like clown masks.

Wait? No… How can that even be possible? Could **HE** be here? Of course he could be, I thought. I mean this is Arkham and I did sneak myself into an abandoned building. At that moment I could feel the thrill starting to rush through me. I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my eardrums. It was as if I was waiting for a present to be given to me on Christmas. I couldn't stop myself. I had to keep looking. My mind was telling me to hide, to stay quiet or I'll be dead in under a minute. My heart, however was in a completely different state. It just kept on beating faster and faster. I wasn't even sure if he was here but something inside me made me want to find out. I slowly started to open the curtains more, expanding my view of the downstairs bar. The men were all just chatting to each other, not noticing me yet. I simply stayed in that position now, trying to listen in to what they were talking and hopefully see if he was here. Suddenly, I felt a rush. I stopped like ice. I hadn't realised what had happened.

Before I could move another inch I felt something against my head. It felt hard and cold, something you never want to feel against the side of your head. My whole body had frozen in place. I became a lifeless doll. My heart was bursting with adrenalin and fear, while my mind was completely blank. I slowly moved my eyes upwards only to see a faint shadow or a sculpture. I was so petrified my vision had become blurred. I had never been in this situation. All these emotions running through in a matter of seconds. I could see purple shades standing over me, and when my vision had managed to give itself to me, I managed to see the frightening eyes of a demon.

"Well…'ello there sweetheart."


	2. The First Meeting

**Chapter 2**

**The First Meeting**

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><p>"What's a lovely, little thing like you doing here?"<p>

I was stuck. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. Out in the open where I always wanted to be, just never imagined it like this. I never imagined even meeting this man. I never imagined that this bar could ever become a place from which I wanted to run.

His voice was soft, but I could hear the intentional sarcasm and teasing in it. I could still tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn't joking around and giving him the wrong answer would definitely lead to instant bullet to the head. Yet, I stayed still, and without thinking as I had no time for that, slowly opened my mouth.

"Sleeping." I said, my voice cracking at the first sound.

"Sleeping?" He asked me, with more sarcasm in his voice, raising his eyebrows, while tilting his head slightly to the side.

I didn't know what to do or what to say. However I didn't even need to. In a split second he suddenly smiled. His already grinned face seemed to become even bigger. He took the gun away from my head, lowered it and himself so his face was facing the floor. Faintly, I could hear snickering and suddenly, the laugher of a mad man. It made me startled at first, as I was hearing one of the most unique sounds I have ever heard in my life. Truly. His laugh echoed throughout the whole building. It seemed like I could hear it go throughout my whole body.

He seemed to be in pain from the laugher, but he didn't stop. He kept going, laughing. I could see him holding onto his stomach with both his arms, keeping a close eye on the gun which he still held in his hand. His men had heard him and were all looking in our direction. They saw me. It made me think that I was seriously done for. However, they didn't even move an inch and simply stood there. They were as frozen as me. I couldn't tell what they felt from their hidden faces behind the masks.

After the hysterical laughing fit, he simply stopped in a second's moment. All this time I still hadn't moved an inch. My body was aching from being in the same position but I couldn't afford to piss this man off.

"Oh…sweetheart, you really know how to make a man laugh." He said to me, while breathing deeply from the laughter which made him exhausted and looking at the gun in his hand, playing around with the trigger.

I was confused. I knew he was a psychopathic maniac, but I didn't understand how what I said was funny. Maybe I was just too scared to think. I decided on that moment that thinking will not be an option for me. For someone who has never felt danger before, I had no idea what to do. My only option was to follow my instincts and no matter what happens, happens. I had no other routes to take. In a matter of seconds I simply responded to him to continue the conversation which seemed he tried to make.

"You're…the Joker?" I said, my voice shaking yet loud.

His expression suddenly became irritated. It seemed that I probably shouldn't have said that. I could tell he wasn't pleased at what I said at all. What am I to do now? I really couldn't read this man's eyes. They seemed to be full of so many emotions that you couldn't even say if he was angry or happy right now. This made me even more confused.

Suddenly, he grabbed me by my hair and pulled me closer to him. On my way I hit my elbow into a chair next to me which made me stumble and I fell a little, feeling immense pain from my hair still being pulled upwards. I was on my knees now at his mercy. While holding me by my hair, tightly in his grip, I noticed he placed the hand with the gun into his pocket and pulled out a little knife. At this moment I knew how this was going to end for me. I was scared shitless. Nonetheless I felt adrenalin pump my blood faster. Every smooth movement he made towards my neck with the blade in his hand made me intrigued even more. I couldn't take my eyes off the knife. From my angle I couldn't see his face, which made him angry I guess, since he grabbed my hair harder and pulled my head up so I could face him.

"So…sweetheart, you know me then?" He asked me, sounding polite, yet I could see the malicious intent in his eyes.

He held the knife right to my neck. I could feel the cold steel metal graze against my skin. It felt terrifying yet at the same time it made me feel so alive. I didn't know what this man might decide to do at any moment, which made me even more excited. I was so sure he would kill me right there and now.

"Y-Yes. You're the Clown Prince of Crime. Or at least that's what I've heard." Trying to somehow stay composed, I answered him. I was scared and wondering as to how I could still speak in this kind of predicament.

He then looked at me for a second or so, before putting a large grin on his face and saying "Ha ha ha. Now that is a name I can live up to. Eh boys? Ain't I right?"

Suddenly, in a swift movement he moved his arm with the knife and I jerked, about to scream in fear of death. Before I could let out a sound, I realised he had let go of me. I dropped to the floor completely. Hearing his footsteps fade away from me, I was muddled at what was happening. He let me go? Why? Could he be planning something worse than a quick death? You never knew with him, he was an unpredictable man. All I knew at this moment was that even though I just had been on the brink of death, I had never felt so alive before.

From everything that has been going on around me, I didn't even realise why the Joker had walked away from me. As I laid there on the ground I realised that something had happened at the entrance of the old bar. I couldn't see or focus on what was happening, all I heard was a commotion. It seems like whatever it had been, it attracted the Joker's attention. In the spring of the moment I got my composure back, and without any further delay, got up, feeling the pain in my elbow, although fading away now and ran across the second floor balcony to the back. Having been here so many times now, I knew exactly where to find every nook and cranny.

Just as I remembered, there was an 'Employees Only' door which I practically threw myself into. It was a small closet room which had a table, couple of chairs and lockers. What had saved me was the fire emergency stairs outside the window. After trying to get the window to open, I realised it was futile as all the corners had long rusted together. My only other option was to smash it. I picked up the nearest chair to me, stepped back and threw it into the window. It was my luck the chair had been metal as I was not exactly someone you would call strong. I don't recall if I got any glass shards on me while climbing out as I was too anxious to get out of there. I didn't even think twice to stop and think. I simply ran down those stairs, hoping that the Joker's men won't be there to greet me.

As I guessed, all the commotion had really stirred up the Joker and his men. It seems they were all at the front of the building, where the main bar entrance was. As I stopped for a moment on the ground, in the back of the alley where the emergency stairs were, I tried to listen to what was happening. All I could hear was the loud, and somehow enticing laughter of a madman. Without any further investigation, I simply started running in the other direction, away from the bar, away from the Joker.

Once I was at least a couple of blocks away, I stopped running and sat down on the nearest bench, trying to regain my composure. I was completely out of breath from the running and from the tension. As soon as my head finally started thinking calmly I picked myself up and started walking towards my house. It was still about another fifteen minute walk from my current location. As I looked around I saw that I was walking through a street with shops. I was glad. I was hoping that at least here, where there were people walking around, nothing could happen to me. I simply walked down the main road, analysing the events of this evening.

It was strange. Even though it felt like forever, the whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes. I looked at my wrist watch. It was way too dangerous to be carrying cell phones in this city. It seems that I actually spent at least two or maybe three hours at that VIP table. It was about six o'clock. This got me a bit nervous. I suddenly realised that I might not be as safe here as I thought. The fact that the Joker was out and about during daylight? That can't be any good. What was worse that all this time I had been walking home, I was not feeling scared. All I could feel is the rush which still ran through my blood. I was calm now, not even terrified. Nothing. Just calm and composed, thinking calmly about what had happened to me.

I was right at my door step by now. I got my keys out and opened the door slowly. I didn't want to seem like anything happened. If my mother ever found out who I had met, we would be out of this city by nightfall. No. I didn't want that. I wanted it to happen again. For some reason, even though my head was telling me no, my heart was saying yes. Probably because for the first time in my life, I had fun. I mean truly, had fun. It sounds strange to say it, but that was what I felt.

I walked up to my room. My mother was in the shower, my step father still not home from work, which made it so much easier to quickly be alone. I sat down on my bed, looked down for a minute or two. With no thoughts in my head I rose and walked to the mirror, thinking that I must look like a mess right now. The only thing I noticed between my tangled hair falling over my shoulders, was a small, light cut right in the centre of my neck where the Joker had held the knife not that long ago. There was a stain of dry blood running down my neck. I looked at it for a while, before starting to laugh. I laughed so hard at that moment. Really? I was so close. So damn close. Fuck.

I realised at that moment, that whatever the commotion was, it saved my life. Another second and I would have been lying there, on that bar floor, blood flowing out of my throat. Fate is a funny thing. So is coincidence. But the funniest thing in life is luck and boy, was I lucky tonight or what?


	3. This Rotten City

**Chapter 3 : This Rotten City**

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><p>I silently stood in front of the mirror, simply looking at my neck for what seemed like hours. When something so blood rushing happens to you and you live to tell the tale, all you can think about is that moment and how it made you want it more and more.<p>

I realised I just couldn't stand there. I had to go to the bathroom and wash myself. I couldn't even imagine my mother's reaction if she saw me like this. I silently listened once she was out of the shower and went into her room. Without waiting I rushed out of my room and into the bathroom.

"Luna? Is that you?" I heard my mother calling me from the other side of the door. Her bedroom was just across the bathroom.

"Erm...yh, I just got back, really needed to go toilet."

"Oh, alright dear. There's hot soup ready if you're hungry." She said and I heard her closing her bedroom door.

"Yh, thanks…" I said under my breath.

I opened the tap of the sink and washed my face. Just splashing freezing cold water over it. I took some in my hand and wiped my neck. I could feel the cold water on my skin, running drops on my neck and hand and on the cut. It wasn't very deep so it didn't hurt, just felt a slight sting. After washing my neck a couple of times I saw that there was no way I could hide that cut. I had to somehow do it thought. I always knew my mother kept some powder foundation in the mirror cupboard above the sink. It was always there in case she needed a quick finish or if she ran out of her other ones. Although she had a lot of them. A lot.

I applied as much of it as I could without it seeming like my skin suddenly got tanned on my neck. I spread it across my whole neck and a bit on my chest to blend it. I guessed I would just have to keep my hair down and falling on the front at all times until this heals. It was way too hot in this time of year to wear turtle necks so that's out of the question.

I looked at it for a while to make sure it was concealed as much as possible. After that I walked out of the bathroom, hearing the TV on in my mother's bedroom I assumed she will be in there, so I won't have to worry about her just yet. I walked into my room and closed the door, feeling extremely not hungry at all.

I looked at the time. It was just about past seven o'clock. Still too early to sleep, yet I didn't want to really leave my room. I laid down on my bed and just kept thinking about the events earlier in the day over and over again. I kept thinking how much I felt during it all. Alive. It felt so amazing. Such a strange feeling to get when you think you are about to die. It felt like some kind of rush. Excitement. I now understand just how amazing the feeling of adrenalin is. Blood boiling inside you, can't keep still. Somehow, just laying there, thinking must have made me tired as I slowly fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up to the sound of cars and traffic outside my window. Only then I realised that I fell asleep so easily for the first time ever. I slept like a baby. It seems like in forever I managed to wake up at around just eight in the morning. I quickly sat up and got out of bed. Opened the blinds to the window and looked out to see the light blue sky which I haven't seen in a long time. It looked quite refreshing. Something I needed I guess. Something new and refreshing.

I looked at the mirror to see how the cut looked. The foundation had smudged a little bit, but still seemed fine. I fixed it with my powder brush. I decided to change into a more closed at the neck top as I was still wearing the same clothes from the day before.

I walked downstairs to find my mother getting ready for work.

"Well…look who is up so early. I guess miracles do happen." My mother said, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"Your sense of humour is as terrible as dad's." I said, with a slight smile on my face. Even thought they were bad, I always found those cliché jokes funny.

"Well they still always made you laugh so I don't know why you're complaining." She said, smiling.

I looked at her more. She seemed in a rush. I wasn't even too sure what time she usually leaves for work but she seemed like she was late. I guess this was even better for me. She was so busy being fidgety, looking for her car keys that she wouldn't find the time to look at my neck.

"Alright, I'm off then. Sorry there's no breakfast…you're usually not up so I didn't make any…"

"It's alright. I'll find something."

She smiled at me. It felt like a faked smile. I know how much she hates the fact that at the age of 27, her daughter still lives with her and has no job. I occasionally do some random jobs as a graphics designer online, but I never really managed to find a stable job.

This is why I don't like thinking. It makes me remember how I am. Who I am and how I could never be what she wanted me to. I hated thinking. I hated my ability to always think and then overthink and then make myself depressed even more. I clenched my hand into a fist to calm down. I had a fair temper. I could handle most things, but when I snap, I can go out of control.

I decided that being here any longer would just make me even angrier. I walked out of the living room and into the hallway. I put my black trainers on and left the house. I just walked. Walking calms me down. Mostly just looking around and analysing the environment, people and so on. It takes my mind into a state which I could think in clearly.

I went into the small park around my area. It was mainly built for kids, but not many of them come here as it was not that safe. I saw down on the only bench there. With my hands in my pockets I was silently sitting there, listening to the sounds around me. Police sirens, traffic, tram. All these noises were constantly playing and closing my eyes I would listen to them.

I suddenly opened my eyes when a couple of teenage looking guys came into the park. They seemed like nothing special or dangerous. I decided to ignore their existence, yet somehow still feel conscious of them.

I had my face down now. I wouldn't close my eyes when there's people around. Too risky. I was still interested in what they were doing. Being my nosey self as usual, I lifted my head upwards. I tried not to look too much in their direction but it wasn't really a way to hide it that I was looking there. They were facing their backs to me so I couldn't see much and they couldn't see me.

As I was looking in their direction, another man approached them from the distance. He was facing me. I decided to turn my head. Yet I was still so nosey. I turned my head back. I saw those two teenagers holding something in their hands. When I tried to look closer it seemed like plastic bags with needles in them. I suddenly turned away. I immediately knew what it was. I heard some rumours around from my neighbours that some kind of drug has been going around the area. It seems like it didn't leave people in a very good state at the end thought. Was it Venom? Yh…something like that. Could they be buying it?

I decided that maybe it was a good time to leave as all this time I felt as if I was being watched. Ironic how I was the one doing that just a second ago. I stood up and started walking in the opposite direction from the two boys and that man. I didn't even turn around to look back. My mistake. Suddenly I felt a hand grab me by my right arm elbow.

"Hello there."

It was that man. He looked as if he was in his mid-forties. He was wearing a long grey coat which seemed dirty and ripped at some places with black trousers and black casual shoes which also looked like they were about to rip apart. About half an inch taller than me with dark brown short hair, green eyes and quite bearded face. He looked like a real old man.

I was a little stiff. I didn't know what to say.

"What is it?" I said in a serious tone.

"I saw you sitting there before on the bench. Were you interested?"

"N…no. No thank you. I don't want any."

"Come on girl," he grabbed my arm even harder now, I could feel immense strength in his grip. "You won't regret it."

"I said no!" I ripped my arm out of his grip. It wasn't easy, but he seemed startled when I shouted and loosened his grip. I was getting nervous and angry. Two emotions which can make you unpredictable to make stupid and dangerous actions.

"Urgh…" he growled. His expression became more irritated. I wasn't exactly in the mood myself and this was putting me on edge. I was starting to get really uncomfortable and wanted to run. He didn't seem like he was going to do anything so I simply turned around and started walking away, hoping he would leave me be.

After walking a bit, I turned around to see he was gone. A bit feeling of relief went through me as I sighed. Really, what were those kids thinking getting involved with a man like that? This city is really rotten to the core.

I decided to find a more private place to relax. I immediately thought of the old bar. That was my only place I could be left alone. Was it empty now thought? Was he still there? I highly doubt it. As far as I figured, I didn't think he would stay in one place for a while, especially with the commotion that happened the place would draw too much attention. I decided to go with my gut and see what was happening at the bar.

To my somehow disappointed feeling, it was completely empty. Like nothing had ever happened. Was I hoping he would still be here? I had this immense itch inside of me that just wanted to see him. He was just so…enticing. You couldn't just walk past a person like that and never want to see them again. He had this aura, sinister yet so alluring. I walked and sat down at my 'usual' VIP table.

I started to remember him more. More of his complexion, his clothing, his image. I remembered his long purple coat, which seemed perfectly tailored to his body build. The purple dyed leather gloves which had held my hair and the knife. His green hair, messy yet styled in a perfect way with a couple of strands falling over his face and the rest pushed back. His white pale face and the black dark makeup smudged around his eyes. His large red smile which stretched almost all the way to his ears. Every wrinkle and line on his face from the permanent smile to his furrowed eyebrows. His slender face shape. All of these details seemed to be imprinted into my memory. I could never get them out of my head. All I could think about was him. It was as if I was a young girl in love. This feeling however, was something much more intense than love. It was like I was being trapped by him, even when he's not here.

I started wondering of ways I could see him. I also thought of the fact that the moment I try to talk to him he will finish what he had started with me. Even so I still wanted to meet him. I guess if I had to explain as to why it would probably be because he made me feel alive. He literally wanted to kill me just as a bit of fun but the way he executed every move, every emotion, it seemed like he was having so much fun that I wanted to be a part of it.

Now was not the time to think rationally. I was getting bored with my life. I wanted some excitement in it. Maybe the Joker wasn't the right choice for that, but I wasn't really going to let something like this pass. I realised from the start that he was a murderer. He killed many people, tortured some even. To him life was a game and if you were weak, you would lose. He didn't believe in 'society'. Frankly, I agree. It's such a load of bullshit. Democracy my ass. All the rich live and the poor suffer. If it was ever about equality then they failed to establish a fair society.

I saw that what he tried to show was that no matter how 'sophisticated' people act, they will never actually be like that. It is all just an act to keep their sorry asses safe. Maybe that's why I never managed to climb the ladder in society. It was never something I wanted. I wanted to be free of society.

The Joker was a man free of society. He didn't have rules. That is what I wanted. A life with no rules. No holding back. Doing what you want without being tied down and dependant on money and power.

I realised it was quite late now. I guess I was out for a while. It seemed like early evening. I had walked out the bar just a couple of minutes earlier. I didn't want to go home. I strolled around on the streets of Arkham City. Dirty, rotten streets. Despair, abandonment, anguish. This is all you would find in this god damn city. Nothing worth seeing, or remembering.

I walked around for hours, hoping that somehow I would be able to see him. Realising that I won't be able to, as my luck can't be infinite I decided to go home and put the whole thing behind me.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading this chapter. Just needed to write this to get some stuff on Luna's mind out of the way and start the real action in the next chapter. :) Hope you stick by and read on.<strong>


	4. Enjoy the Show!

**Chapter 4: Enjoy the Show!**

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><p>It has been a couple of weeks since my meeting with the Joker at the old bar. I haven't been doing much of anything. I managed to make some quick money by making a couple of poster designs for some clubs around my area. Other than that all I've been doing was wasting time on pointless activities, walks around the park, eating, watching TV. It seemed like my life had went back to the same old boring thing and I was starting to get used to it again. I tried to stop thinking about that night and the Joker.<p>

The next day I was going to go shopping. I needed some new clothes and also my mother asked me to buy some essential items such as paper towels, soap, etc. while am at the mall. I wore some basic dark blue jeans with a purple t-shirt and black leather jacket with the same black trainers I wear everywhere. I thought that going out would be a good change of pace.

While at the clothing shops I seemed to keep having my eyes distracted by the colours purple and green. Whenever I saw them, I would immediately assume something which it was not. I couldn't keep this up. It was driving me insane. I had to leave this place before I would start remembering again.

I walked out of the shop into the main hall. When walking towards my mother's car in the parking lot, I saw something which I guess was not supposed to see. In the corner of the parking lot building, there were two black vans. About fifteen to twenty men were standing at the back of the vans. I could tell they were not here for fun and games. It seems like they didn't see me. I could only see the men's faces from one of the vans from my position and it seems like they didn't take notice of me. I never really did have much presence in a room.

I realised that I should leave as soon as I can if I don't want any trouble.

"Seems like someone can't do their job properly can they? Hm?" a voice came from behind one of the vans. It sounded so familiar yet distant.

I stopped next to my car, which was quite far away from them, however the echo in the concrete building made the voice loud enough for everyone to hear. I stood there, now looking in their direction trying to see who this voice belonged to. Slowly, from behind the van a tall, slender, yet with broad shoulders man walked out. Wearing his same old green hair, the same long purple coat to match his purple trousers and dark olive green shirt. He walked over to the centre of where all the men stood and I saw something which made my blood stir. He pulled out the same little knife which he held so close to my neck, leaving a cut in my skin. When I saw that knife glister in the light it was as if I could feel its metal touching my skin again.

"So…hm? What have you got to say for yourself?" I watched him in that instant, grab a random man that was just standing there with the others and pushed the knife next to his throat. The man seemed like he was shitting himself in fear.

"N…no, no boss, please, we did like you said…we…we didn't…know…that…that the Batman…" the man was cut off here, by the Joker's stern expression and the sudden movement of the knife, digging deep into the man's throat. He engraved the knife deeper and deeper, twisting it around a couple of times before pulling it out. It came out in one swift movement, with a noise of ripping meat apart, leaving a pool of blood to start gushing out of the man's throat. He was still alive, trying to grasp air into his lungs, when the Joker kicked him straight in the face until the man fell without another move.

"Batman, batman, batman…is that the only lousy excuse you have? Hm? Hahahahaha…look at me…talking to a dead man. He can't answer my question now, can he?" He turned his gaze to another random man from his choosing.

"No, boss." The short man the Joker was now talking to, responded to him with more calm and composed answer. "We placed the bombs just as you told us. We don't know how the Batman found us." The man tried to talk as calm as he could since he knew he would end up as the one before him.

"Is that so? WELL GOOD JOB! Hahahahaha, you did well then!" the Joker exclaimed loudly enough for the whole parking lot to hear his maniac laugh, echoing throughout the walls.

"But…you just sai-"

"Ohh, gosh what did I say? Oh, yh! No, the Batman was SUPPOSE to find you. Hahahahaha. That WAS the plan." He was laughing manically even more now, his laugh echoing, making everything else around silent, as if nothing else existed.

"Then…why did you kill Mark?" The short man asked the Joker, with the sound of fear in his voice. Probably scared to ask the Joker something like that as you could be the next target.

"Mark? Ohh…oh. I just wanted to make the show more exciting for our audience."

I was petrified. In an instant I came back to reality and realised I literally stood next to my car this whole time and saw everything. I realised that he was looking straight at me now, right into my terrified eyes. I dropped the bag I was holding. I lost all strength in my body. Again, like before I felt like a lifeless doll, yet my blood was boiling. Shock suddenly came over me that this was not a movie or a play. I just saw a man die. Watching the whole thing was like a show. The Joker's movements, expressions made me so enticed I didn't realise what I was watching.

I was still standing still, watching his eyes, not leaving them for a second. I could see them getting closer to me slowly, realising he was walking towards me. I was too shocked to run or to do anything. I simply watched him getting closer to me, holding the bloody knife he just had used to kill that man, in his hand, the left over blood dripping with his each step to the ground.

Was he serious? Did he just kill a man for show? He just ended someone's life for a laugh. Like it was nothing. In an instant.

"So…sweetheart, you must really have a thing for me. Did you wanna ask me out or something?" he asked me, his voice full of sarcasm and yet he sounded like he was having the time of his life. I stood and watched him, simply standing in front of me. I thought by now he would have placed the knife against me like before, to finish me off this time, leave no loose ends, as they say.

"I…I was shopping. Came to my car…just going home…" I was talking, yet it felt like I couldn't let a single word out my mouth. It was the feeling like in a dream when you try to run but you can't.

"Shopping? Hope you got a nice little present for me in there." He had his smile stretched out as far as he could, eyes full of excitement.

"Are...you going to kill me this time?" I asked him, not knowing how to answer him anymore.

"Kill you? Hahahaha" He was laughing maniacally again. "Wait…this time?" His laughing stopped and he looked at me confused.

"A couple…of weeks ago, in the old bar…you tried to kill me." He looked at me, still confused. Then I saw his eyes flash, and realised he remembered me.

"Hm? I don't recall…could you expand on that sweetie?" He asked me, with sarcasm now. I knew he remembered what I was talking about. He wanted to tease me, to have more fun. I went along with it.

"You, put a knife next to my throat, in the VIP table on the second floor. Asked me what I was doing there." I answered him, leaving all the little details out.

"OH! YH! I remember you now, sweetheart." He said with great excitement in his voice. While talking he would move his arms around a lot, almost like he was over reacting to everything he would say, like he was in a cliché theatre play.

"So…are you going to kill me or not then?" Even thought I was petrified of this person, I was getting a little annoyed at him now. I couldn't take any more of this tense feeling of not knowing what will happen to me.

"Hahahahah. Ahh. No. Let bygones be bygones. No hard feelings, right?" He looked at me leaning a bit backwards waving the bloody knife around in his hand. "I mean, why would I try to kill you now, after I tried so HARD to put up such a good show for you just there?" He smiled at me, putting his face up close to mine, and slowly raising his arm to point at the man who was lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

"I don't know. Because I saw what you just-"

"Sweetheart, how many times do you want me to repeat it?" His smile faded now. "I wanted you to enjoy it, since you were SO interested." His smile came back now, looking more maniacal that before. "So, did you enjoy the show?"

Obviously not. How could anyone? He just murdered a man in broad daylight like it was nothing. This was making my head hurt. I was starting to panic. In just a couple of seconds which I had, I decided to act the way which I always wanted to. If the Joker won't kill me then I have nothing to fear right?

"Yes, it was spectacular." I said to him, making a small smile on my face, looking directly into his eyes. He seemed pleased at my answer.

"Hm…" He looked at me for a couple of seconds, before moving back in one swift movement. He then turned around, throwing his arms up into the air, still holding the bloody knife, to face the men next to the vans. I just realised that none of them had even more an inch. "Splendid! Ya hear that boys? You all did an AMAZING job. Except Mark, but oh well. Can't have them all being perfect now, can we?" He gave a short yet loud maniacal laugh again.

"So…" I started talking. The Joker heard me and turned around to face me again. "What should I do?" I was so confused. He doesn't want to kill me, so what do I do now?

"Well…I don't know sweetheart. Not really my business what you do, or is it?" He said to me, half twisting himself around, humming a tune to himself, as if he was alone, just wandering around.

Was that an invitation or a request to leave? I couldn't understand him right now. I thought he was a heartless murderer. Yet, he let me live. Although it was just because he didn't find it interesting anymore to do it. This was like a moment in life when you come to a cross road and you don't know what to do. I was being silent, thinking again. What was I even thinking? Am I crazy? Thinking of even going with him? I mean, I always wanted to, but now that I may have that choice, am I willing enough to do it? To leave everything behind me and become a criminal?

The long silence did not amuse him. The whole time I was looking at him and saw that he was losing interest. I noticed that he started to walk away from me now, still looking at me, bouncing around like a child, humming a tune, but fading away. Out of sheer panic or confusion I simply shouted.

"Let me…Let me come with you!"

"Hm?" He stopped then. Looking at me, simply with no words, smiled and turned around towards the vans. I guess that was his answer. Or so I thought.

"Well you better not forget your pretty little clothes you bought. Ya might need 'em." He started laughing again, this time not maniacally, although every laugh this man made sounded like it was.

In an instant, I realised what he had said, and without thinking anymore grabbed the shopping bag and started to walk towards the van he was standing next to. I was walking slowly enough to have time to turn around and run, but I felt something hot, something extreme making my blood boil. Just walking towards that man made my skin have chills and I wanted more. Even thought I was just petrified of him a couple of minutes ago, I was still so enticed by this man. When I got to the van, he slowly opened the back doors and slowly bowed down like a gentleman.

"Ladies first." He said, with a great big smile on his face.

I got into the back seat of the van and he sat next to me. I sat that once he got in, all the men started to get inside the other van. I don't even know how they all managed to fit in, but my guess was they went into the back of the van where there are no seats. It was just me, him and one man to drive in our van. I wondered why none of the other men had got in as there were still two free seats left; one at the front and one next to him as there were three seats in the back. When I looked around it seemed like a high class vehicle. No scratches or dirt. It made me wonder, where he got hold of these cars.

"Well…" he said, making me focus on him again, "let's go on an adventure then! Hahahahahahahaha…" His laugher echoes throughout the van, all the way to the exit of the parking lot.

At this time, I somehow felt excited, feeling alive, as if I made the right decision for the first time in my life.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading another chapter! I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope it was a good representation of how a meeting with the Joker would go. Please, please let me know what you think, it would be amazing to know your opinions on the story and characters so far :)<strong>


	5. Cliché Jokes

**Chapter 5: Cliché Jokes**

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><p>The ride wasn't particularly long. It seemed like time was racing past me. Maybe because I was still in a state of shock and confusion. I was sitting silently next to Gotham's most wanted and dangerous man. It gave my body chills. His presence seemed so strong even though he was just a man. You could feel an extreme essence coming from him. It wasn't his makeup or his hair, not even his big, wide grin which never left his face. It was just…something.<p>

I finally snapped out of it when I felt the van stop. Without any delay the Joker got out, practically slamming the door behind him before I stopped it with my hand. It was as if he completely forgot someone else was in there with him.

I got out and saw we arrived at the Sionis' Steel Mill. We were in the industrial district of Arkham. From what I heard this was the Joker's 'domain' when he had nothing to do or didn't feel like messing up the Dark Knight's day. The building itself was old and seemed to be crumbling away. It didn't even seem safe to go inside. I averted my eyes from the building's exterior and onto where the Joker was headed. He walked across the courtyard, practically running towards the door which led inside. Without having any idea of what to do, my biggest chance to find out was to follow him. I saw around me the men getting out of the other van. None of them seemed to pay attention to me. Like I wasn't even there.

I walked into what seemed like a large hall with stacks of boxes. The Joker was walking up the stairs in the far left end of the hall into what seemed like an office. I looked around and after examining the boxes I realised they all had a little black drawing on them which was shaped like a penguin. I didn't know what was inside the boxes, but I had a pretty good idea it wasn't party balloons.

I kept following the Joker's steps into the upstairs office only to find him running around like crazy, looking for something desperately.

"Geez, where DID I put it?!" he said, shouting across the room, again not even noticing my presence. "I know it was somewhere…AH…here it is!"

He opened the third draw of a desk in the far right corner of the room and took out what seemed like a small device, a detonator even.

"What is that?" I asked him.

He suddenly spun around and looked at me, a little surprised, like he really didn't know I was there. He clenched the device into his hand and shoved it into his pocket.

"Ahh! Sweetheart! Just the girl I wanted to see!" He put a big smile on his face, throwing his arms into the air and walking towards me. I knew he wanted to change the subject and I thought that it would be best to leave it at that.

"Come on now then. Get your things. We're leaving." he said to me, still fussing around the room, like a lost child, looking for his favourite toy.

"What? Leaving? B…but we just got here?" I said, looking confused and distressed. I was wondering where in the world would we be going so suddenly. I guess crime lords never get a day off.

"Hm? Oh, yh, we are going to meet a BIG friend of mine." he said, with a chuckle in his voice.

"What? But I don't understand, leaving so quickly? Where are we going?" I was throwing endless questions at him now. I wanted to know what was going on and I guess the nosy side of me came out, without me even realising.

He stopped his fidgeting in an instant. With his back to me he stood still for a still moment and then turned around. I could see he was a little displeased with my attitude. He walked towards me, putting his hand into his pocket, which made me remember the knife that he kept there, and a scene which will be embedded into my memory forever. Instead, he pulled out a 9mm handgun. "Here." He said to me, holding the gun in his hand in front of me. "You might need this today, sweetheart. For one reason or another." He gave a short, yet high pitched laugh at his own remark.

I hesitated to take the gun. I never held one before in my life. I was a bit scared yet somehow I wanted to hold it. I was staring at the gun until I realised the Joker had grabbed my arm and placed the gun in my palm and simply walked away, to continue doing his previous activity. I took grip on the gun and held it my right hand. It was dark grey with a brown handle to hold it. It seemed to glister in the light more than the knife. It had beautiful engravings written on both sides of it which seemed to be in Latin. It didn't seem like a basic low class gun. It was something only the rich could afford to show off to their friends behind a glass case in their overpriced houses. The weight of the gun seemed never ending. The longer I held it the heavier it seemed to get.

"Now you better not lose that!" he said, distracting me finally. "I got that from a very nice man who would be VERY devastated if anything were to HAPPEN to it!" he said, with a huge grin on his face. I could tell he was being sarcastic, yet I knew it wasn't aimed at me.

I said nothing back, just looked at him, being all happy and cheerful like a child. Like he was waiting to go to a theme park or a zoo. His constant moving around the room, opening one draw and cupboard after another, picking something up, closing them, then returning to the same ones and repeating the process over and over. I was simply watching him grab little objects from all the cupboards until finally he slammed the last cupboard and quickly walked back to me.

"There! Now you can ACTUALLY shoot someone!" he handed me a magazine for the handgun. "Now there's about 7 bullets in there, so try not to miss too much!" he said to me, again, laughing at his own joke. I nodded, giving him a slight smile and getting a large grin in return.

He then walked past me towards the door, making me turn around as well. He stopped for a moment and said "What happened sweetheart? Not talking much now, are we? Did I take your breath away?" Laughing in his usual manner, he simply started walking down the stairs. I was still a little dazed at the fact that now, in my pocket I was holding a loaded gun. Yet, I quickly got that out of my mind after I heard Joker's words and realised that even with that cliché joke, he was actually right. This whole time I was more focused on just seeing what he will do since he wasn't very into answering any of my questions. I tilted my head downwards and gave a little smile and a chuckle to myself.

Following the Joker down the stairs, I walked behind him, outside of the building. Most of his men were gone somewhere, some I noticed were standing as guards, others as snipers on the roofs around the area. We got to the same van, just this time the Joker got into the driver's seat. I was about to sit next to him in the front when one of his men managed to take that spot first and I was left to go sit in the back with two more men. There were five of us in total this time.

"Alrighty then! Everyone got their seatbelts on? No?" Without waiting for an answer he stepped on the peddle, laughing while he does it, making the van drive out of the courtyard almost in an instant. I suddenly leaned back by the force of how fast we were moving. I was just about to put my seat belt on when I noticed there were none there to begin with. I won't lie, his little 'jokes' were getting a bit out of hand now. At this moment now, all I was hearing was a low chuckle turning into his usual maniac laugh. In a strange way, it seemed even comforting to hear him laugh. It made my blood boil and heart race, while I listened, sat there and held the handgun tightly in my pocket.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading another chapter. :) The next chapter will involve more action and finally introducing some extra character which I hope people will recognise. :D Let me know what you guys think of this and thanks again for sticking around. :)<strong>


	6. Promises & Trust

**Chapter 6: Promises & Trust**

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><p>The van stopped not too far from the Steel Mill. We were at a harbour which seemed to be abandoned for years now. As the Joker stopped the van, he got out first, then I and then the other three men. We all followed him towards an abandoned building which seemed like a fish processing factory. The smell was definitely giving it away for sure. Walking through the large opened gate I was starting to feel my blood pump again. The Joker didn't exactly give me any details on what we were <em>really<em> doing here and who we are meeting.

Suddenly, breaking the silence, the Joker said, "Ah…the wonderful scent could take me away!" and started laughing in his usual manner. None of the men reacted to what he said and he didn't seem to care either. I was walking in the back, trying to stay cautious and alarmed. You never knew why Joker did what he did and you could never relax around this man. In an instant, without warning he stopped, turned to us and said, "Well boys! Oh…and lady…" he gave a stretched smile towards me, making me flinch and then turned around again to continue, "Let's get down to business!" Once again he started to laugh, this time however, in a deep and low voice, something that was not common for the Clown Prince and walking further down inside the building.

We kept on wandering around the huge building until finally I heard some voices from up ahead and saw light. The Joker stopped, suddenly again, turned around with a wide grin and told his men, "You three, stay here and don't make too much noise…tee hee." Giving a snicker as if he knew they wouldn't be able to fulfil his request. He then turned his attention to me and said, "Come sweetheart, let's not make our friends wait any longer."

"Why only me?" I asked him, surprised that only I will be going with him. Honestly, I would rather stay with the men this time. I had a bad feeling in my stomach.

"Well…why NOT you? Ha Ha!" He laughed at my question, pushing it aside by turning around and walking towards the light. "So…" He turned his head to me, with a serious expression in his eyes and said, "Hurry up."

Without any more argument I started walking and seeing that so did he. I was walking next to him, feeling small and helpless being half his size. I felt so out of place yet feeling kind of safe by feeling his presence next to me and so up close. This whole time since we got out the van I kept my hands in my pockets, holding on to the gun, hoping I won't get a chance to use it.

Breaking my thoughts, I suddenly felt a gush of air and a large arm going around my shoulders, pulling me closer. His face turned to me and with a wide grin he said, "No need to be so nervous, darling. I promise, I won't let them do _anything_ to you." Still smiling, he squeezed his hand on my shoulder harder, making it hurt a bit.

The fact that he said that must mean that I _really_ need to be ready to use that gun. One thing I understood about the Joker was that you should never take anything he says lightly. There is always a message in his words. I just hope I understood the right message.

Finally we got to the meeting place, standing quite far from the men there. They all wore black suits and each held machine guns. There were about eight of them all lined up in a curved like towards us.

"You're late." I low voice came from behind the men. Suddenly the two men in the middle moved to the sides and a short, bulky man stepped out in front of us. Walking slowly while limping he carried an umbrella and wore a black tuxedo. His face was long yet plump with heavy wrinkles and a large, long nose. With a glass monocle in his left eye he had a large cigar in his mouth and a sullen expression on his face. Never really realised the Penguin looked so much…well…like a penguin.

"Sorry about that. You know women. Take _forever_ to get ready. Am I right or am I right?" The Joker laughed at his own joke, only amusing himself. He then pushed me even closer to his chest as he still had his arm around my shoulders.

"Enough with the crap Joker! Where're my explosives?! I know you're the one who took them!" The Penguin took out a Joker card out of his pocket and threw it on the ground in front of us.

"Huh? I thought you just invited me for a good old fashion tea party?" The Joker replied, snickering to himself. "Although, you should lay off the desserts. Hahahaha…" The Joker just kept laughing, and I could see the Penguin and his men were getting annoyed and fed up with him.

"Look here you son of a bi-!"

The penguin stopped, surprised and shocked as in a split moment the Joker had taken out a gun out of his pocket with his free hand, while still holding me and faced it straight at him. I tilted my head a little to see the Joker's face turn serious.

"Watch your mouth birdbrain." The room fell silent. I was shocked at this. Not at the Joker but at the Penguin and his men. It was nine versus two and they were all standing there, shitting their pants at one man with a single gun. I have to say that even for a psychopath, the Joker had some balls. "Did your mommy never teach you any manners?" In that moment he turned back into himself and gushed out laughing, still pointing the gun at the Penguin, looking straight at him and now squeezing me hard into his chest, making my shoulders hurt.

"Look Joker, I ain't here lookin' for a fight." The Penguin retorted. Trying to stay calm. I wondered why he didn't order his men to simply shoot. "All I want is compensation for the goods, that were…erm…lost somehow."

"Well! Why didn't you just say so!?" Feeling the Joker's grip relax on me, he lowered the gun but still held it in his hand. He then let go of me and walked towards the Penguin who just stood there. "And, what kind, of _compensation,_ do you want? Hm?"

"Anythin-" The Penguin was about to say before the Joker cut him off.

"Anything! Yes! That's right!" He was shouting at the Penguin, moving his body around, almost seemed like twisting it around and waving the gun around the Penguin's face. He then stopped moving and said "Alright." He then turned to me and said "How 'bout her then?"

What? Did he just say that? Me? Oh shit. No. Fuck. What do I do now? He just went and said that. This is why he wanted me to come with him. 'Won't let them do anything' my ass. I stood there and saw him putting his arm around The Penguin's shoulder and pointing at me with the gun in his hand. I started to panic and fear was taking over me. I looked at the Joker who seemed like his casual self and then the Penguin who looked confused yet somehow intrigued.

Suddenly I saw a twisted smile come onto the Penguin's face. "Ok. I'll take her. She can be of use to me." His response sent shivers down my back. I stood there frozen, unknowing of what to do. I couldn't possible go this with man. Being with the Joker is dangerous but I doubt it's worse than being with the Penguin; as his hostage as well.

"What can I say? I'm the generous kind." The Joker remarked with a large grin on his face, trying to boast about himself in his own psychotic way. He then backed away from the Penguin and started to walk towards me. "Come now sweetheart, this sweet old man wants to have a little chat with you."

No. Fuck that. I was getting angry now. He used me for his own amusement. If it was just for a laugh I would understand him, but thinking he can 'sell' me off. I was shitless scared, panicking but I had enough. I wasn't about to just stand here and let them do what they want with me. I had enough. I remembered the words the Joker himself said to me; 'for one reason or another'. If I was going to use this gun then I might as well use it to defend myself.

There is a time in our life's that when faced with danger we make stupid decisions because our brain is not functioning in a calm and relaxed manner. This was not one of those times. In some strange way I started to relax and simply let anger take over from fear.

"Sweetheart, don't make me-"

I cut the Joker off here, with a surprised look on his face, when I pulled the 9mm handgun he gave himself to me and pointed it at his face. I looked stern at him trying to make him understand that I was not joking. I could then see a small curve coming up from his lips and slowly turning into a wide grin. He then started laughing, loud, almost like the sound was screeching across the room, making my ears hurt. He twisted himself putting his arms into his stomach from the immense laughter.

"Ah…my dear, dear girl. You're just full of _surprises_, aren't you?" He said to me, still holding his arms on his stomach. The way he acted reminded me of the time he laughed at me at the old bar. Somehow it seemed nostalgic.

"You're not giving me to him Joker." I said to him, with the gun still in my hand facing him. I wasn't about to give up. I realised what I was doing and who I pointed the gun at, but I knew the Joker won't do anything. I knew he will laugh and I knew what outcome this will bring.

He finally raised himself and said "Ah…after that, _who_ would?" He stepped next to me now and faced the now really confused Penguin. "You know what? I think I'll keep her."

"What? But you just said I could have her?" Puzzled, the Penguin asked Joker.

"Well…now you can't. She's just too much fun for someone like you."

I was getting angry even more now. I was standing there, pointing a gun at them and they didn't seem to understand how serious I was. Did they think I don't have it in me to shot? Probably. I mean I was shaking inside, holding the gun which felt like it weighted more than me. Listening to the quarrel I had enough and lowered the gun to the ground and shot. The bullet hit the ground right next to Joker's feet which made him prance around for a second to avoid it. It bounced off and went flying in a random direction.

"HA! HA! HA! YOU SEE?!" The Joker exclaimed at the Penguin, still practically ignoring me. This was getting on my nerves. His constant laughing made it worse, making my nerves slowly on the edge of breaking. He didn't stop however, just kept on prancing now, laughing around, with the Penguin standing there with an angry look in his face staring right at me.

"Enough of your jokes Joker. I tried to deal with you nicely but you're pushing it now." With the Joker prancing around with no care in the world, laughing, The Penguin signalled his men by waving his arm up. "Kill the bitch." His men picked up their weapons upwards and started to face them towards me. Suddenly gun shots came from behind the men and they were all lying dead on the ground.

"What?!" The Penguin exclaimed, turning around to look at his men confused and shocked. He turned back around to the Joker and said "What's the meanin-" The Penguin's mouth was suddenly shut with a gun pointing from the now calm Joker's hand.

"Tsk, tsk. I hope you weren't just talking about my little baby doll here?" The Joker said to the short man, who was now frightened. Turning his grin upside down he got close to the Penguin's face and said "Because, you know…I don't like it when other people break _my_ toys."

In a single moment, before the Penguin could say another word the Joker lowered his gun quickly down the Penguin's feet and shot him straight in the foot which made him limp when he walked. The chubby man fell to the ground, grabbing his foot and screaming in agonizing pain. He started to roll around, holding onto his foot, which made the Joker break into a crazed laughter while he looked at the man in pain.

He grabbed the Penguin by his hair and said to his face "Don't forget to bring my money next time fatty. Oh…and…don't forget your place again." He then forcibly let go of him and practically threw him on the ground. Looking at the Penguin from above, the Joker spat in his face and turned back to walk the way we came from.

"Come baby doll. Play time's over."

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><p><strong>I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. More are on the way. I am slowly putting all the little details of the story together in my head and on paper. Please let me know what your thoughts are of the Joker and if I portray him good so far? :D<strong>

**Also for those who are reading this story, I decided to combine the short chapters together so don't be alarmed at the change in chapter numbers. Sorry for any inconvience about that. :(  
><strong>


	7. Curiosity

**Chapter 7: Curiosity**

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><p>While walking past me, The Joker grabbed me by my arm and started to pull me to walk with him. Without resist I followed him, with his hand firmly holding my arm. I said nothing at first. He was furious. I could see it in his eyes. He was a great actor, with his large grin across his face, but he couldn't hide his emotions in his eyes. Those deep, emerald green eyes were full of rage and fury.<p>

"Hey…what was all that about?" I finally asked him, breaking the tense silence which made me anxious.

"Don't let curiosity get the better of you, baby doll." His response was calm and composed. There wasn't a single trace of 'The Joker' in his voice.

We were still walking, back the way we came from when we arrived at this place. He still held my arm tightly, practically dragging me along his pace and me trying to keep up with it. While being dragged like a doll I couldn't take the silence and somewhere deep inside felt like I needed to 'cheer' him up.

"So what's with all the nicknames?" I asked him, trying to sound more cheerful, hopefully to get him back to his old, 'maniac' self.

While staring at his pale face, I noticed a change in his eyes, and his grin seemed to become a genuine smile. He then stopped, still holding me by my arm, turned to face me and grabbed me by my other arm, squeezing them both hard now. I grunted in pain, feeling him slowly tighten his grip on my arms, making it seem as if he tried to break my bones.

"What's this baby doll? Huh?" He asked me, with his 'genuine' smile, which seemed to become more and more maniacal the more I looked at him. I was however, trying to focus my eyes into his. It was terrifying. The more I looked at them now, the more dark they seemed to become. The emerald green colour was disappearing right in front of me and darkness came over. His hands still crushing my arms, making my blood flow stop going to my arms. I was starting to freak out. My heart pounding fast, making my head hurt from the beat.

Suddenly, he made his eyebrows furrow and his grin wider, causing fear to take over my mind. He started to squeeze harder and harder, still smiling right at me. My arms were aching in pain and it made me scream in agony. I couldn't take the pain anymore and it made me lose my foothold and I started to drop, when he grabbed my arms even harder, forcing me to stand and look at him.

"Does that hurt? Seems like it hurts real bad." He told me, in a slightly sarcastic tone, releasing a small yet high pitched laugh.

"Wh-why…stop…let go…" I was pleading him. I could feel his immense strength slowly crush my arms. He didn't listen to me and just stood there continuing. I couldn't take anymore. I was losing myself. I had to stop him. I had to stop him. I had to…

Without waiting any longer for him to stop, I managed to regain some strength in my legs and flung my left leg between his legs and kicked him. This made him let go of me and back away slightly. I couldn't see what he did next, I quickly collapsed on the floor and grabbed hold of my arms where he had been crushing them.

Suddenly I felt my hair being brutally pulled upward. I screamed in pain and the next thing I saw was a fist landing into my face. It made me shaky, my head hurt and my vision spinning. I could feel his hand grabbing more of my hair and pulling my head upward again, now making me face his furious eyes.

"Feisty little bitch aren't you? Doctor Joker can fix that." He said to me, in an angry voice, and suddenly started to laugh, while letting go of my hair and making me completely drop to the ground. He then proceeded with his foot, kicking me into my stomach a couple of times, before finally, giving himself one final laugh and walking away.

I was lying on the ground. Alone and in pain. My stomach hurt and I felt like vomiting. It didn't help that my head was spinning as well. I couldn't feel my arms which made it impossible to stand up. I laid there on the ground, practically covered with tears and still feeling fear take over my mind.

I didn't even feel when someone managed to somehow pick me up. Making my arm go around their shoulder to help me stand, I heard then faintly talk to me.

"A little word of advice new girl; don't ask the Boss no questions when he's pissed." The voice sounded deep and composed.

I tried to get my composure back as quickly as my body could do it, trying to clear my vision by closing and opening my eyes. After a couple of minutes I finally managed to get my sight clear and could focus on my walking.

"Hey, come on now, you're doing better."

The voice's constant encouragement made me feel better. Even made it easier to stand on my own quicker. After a couple of failed attempts to stand and grabbing onto the figure helping me out, I finally managed to stand up. I have to say this took me quite a long time. I had never got punched and kicked this hard in my life. It was something else.

"Thanks." I said, replying faintly.

"No problem new girl. Just try not to do something so stupid again." I heard a faint chuckle.

"Wh-who are you again?" I finally raised my eyes to look at who had helped me. To my surprise it was one of the men that came with us in the van. He was the one who sat at the front, next to the Joker. He was a tall man with a buff body build, black hair and dark brown eyes. His face was quite round yet smooth, with no wrinkles. He didn't seem much older than me, maybe even younger.

"Name's Nelson." He answered me, sounding polite and friendly. "And you?"

"Luna."

"Luna? That's one unique name. How'd you get it?" he asked me, while still letting me hold on to his arm as we slowly started to walk towards the exit of the building.

"I was born on a full moon. Guess my mum thought it would be interesting to call me that."

"Hm. Well she did pick a good name for a lunatic like you." He laughed at his own joke. "Get it?" he asked me, smiling in the most innocent way possible.

"Hmph. Yh…very original." I answered him, although inside I felt a little happy someone tried to make me feel better.

"Well…you're no fun."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled at me, again with genuine innocence. It made me wonder, what's a guy like him doing with The Joker?

As we walked outside the building, I noticed that the place where we left the van was completely empty. No van. No Joker.

"Ahh…damn it. Gonna have to walk back." He said, trying to sound like it didn't bother him that we were left behind. I couldn't hold it in anymore and asked him what was bugging me right now.

"Why are you working for The Joker?" I asked him, trying to say it in a polite way not to offend him. "You don't seem like someone who 'fits' in with The Joker's image."

"Huh? How so?" he asked me, looking and sounding confused.

"Well…you just seem…so nice."

He laughed at my response and said "Hahaha, I guess that's what it seems like."

I didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but in some strange way, I could feel that I probably shouldn't ask him anymore. I had a bad feeling in my stomach, and it wasn't from the aching pain from The Joker's kick.

Without any more delay, we started to walk down the streets of Arkham City. As we walked, I noticed that there a couple of people who seemed to avoid Nelson, as if they were scared of him. Maybe they knew who he worked for and simply didn't want to get involved.

I had no idea where we had to go to get back to the Steel Mill so I followed him without any resist since he was the one who knew the exact directions to get there. We walked for about thirty minutes or more when I finally started to see the Steel Mill building rooftops. I was glad we finally got here, yet suddenly distress came over me. I felt nauseating in my stomach. The building made me remember who exactly was inside there and how much I wanted to avoid seeing him right now. It was as if I could feel the crushing of my arms, the punch and the kicking again.

"I'll take you home if you don't feel well." The sudden sound of Nelson's voice made flinch, which made me look at him. His expression was sweet and innocent with a light smile, looking straight at me in the eyes. I somehow felt frightened at what he said. Even though he seemed like a nice guy, I couldn't risk any of these men to find out where I lived. God knows what The Joker would do if he found out. I don't want my family to become a quick pastime gig for him.

"No…it's fine. I'll be fine." I forced myself to regain my full composure and kept on walking towards the Steel Mill. I could see some kind of disappointment in Nelson's eyes, and felt relief that I didn't agree to let him to take me home.

As I walked towards the front yard, which made my heartbeat faster and faster the closer I got to the building, I decided that I won't confront The Joker. I'll try to avoid him. Only for now. Just for now. I was extremely scared of what he might do to me. He could still be pissed off.

Walking next to the metal door, and touching the handle to open it, it all made me feel nervous and frightened. I took a deep breath, feeling Nelson's presence behind me, making me even more nervous somehow, I tried to calm down, and quickly opened the door. Inside, there were many of The Joker's men simply relaxing, playing cards, chatting away. Only some of them looked our way from the noise the door made as it opened as we entered the building.

I didn't know what to do next. I was the only woman in the room, full of criminals at that as well. Nelson walked past me now, slightly pushing me to the side and walked towards a group of guys which seemed like his 'friends', I suppose. I was standing feeling alone more than ever. Tension rose inside of me as I started to walk inwards into the large room filled with boxes and men carrying machine guns with them.

Without knowing where to go I automatically walked past them all and towards the stairs leading to The Joker's office. There was a door between the room and the stairway, which made it easier for me as I couldn't handle all of their eyes, staring me down as I walked past them, making me feel disgusted and scared. I held my hands in my jacket's pockets, holding onto the gun which I still had, making myself feel safer, even thought I knew it wouldn't help me here much. I could hear some of them whispering, exchanging opinions about me.

"That's Joker's new toy? She don't seem like much. Just a little lost lamb."

I could hear the laughing at me, snickering. I walked faster and faster and yet somehow the room just seemed to stretch further and further. Finally managing to walk past, them all, I walked into the stairway and closed the door behind me. Taking a deep breath I looked up at the stairs, remembering that The Joker was just behind the door just upstairs. The thought made me shiver right now, unlike how it would usually excite me, and I decided to go sit down on the floor, next to the stairs. I curled myself up holding my arms around my legs and my head downwards, trying to stop tears from overflowing. I was simply scared now. What was I thinking? Why did I even agree to come with The Joker? Why was I here? I **was** like a lost lamb, in a pack of wolves. My eyes simply felt red and swollen from crying and I had to close them. I didn't even realise as I dozed off from being exhausted of the day's events.

"Wakey, wakey…my little princess." The voice I was hearing sounded high pitched and sarcastic.

Suddenly, realising who it was in an instant I opened my eyes and stood up. My sudden movement made his flinch a little, but he got his composure back as quick as it had gone. I was startled, looking at him, saying nothing, just waiting for him to say something. Anything.

He grabbed me by my chin with his right hand and turned my face to look at the area he punched and said "That looks bad. Better put some ice on that, baby doll."

"Too late for that now." I replied to him, averting my eyes from his. I really didn't want to see his expression right now. I knew he felt satisfaction from it.

"I suppose so." He said to me, giving a loud snickering laugh.

It made me angry how he was talking and how he was enjoying this. I moved my head, escaping his grip on my chin as he wasn't holding on hard.

"Hmph. Still as feisty as ever. I was just trying to be nice." He responded at me, making me furious now with his sarcastic reply. He knew I was angry at him, and he wanted me to snap. But I wasn't going to give in to his little plan.

I turned by head to face him directly, looking into his eyes, gave a little chuckle and with a smile on my face said "Hope your balls haven't dropped off yet."

He gave me a sarcastic reply so I'll give him one back. I was playing a dangerous game here. Yet, I felt that bowing down to this man would be a terrible idea.

What I said made him burst out with laughter. In a way I could feel he was genuinely laughing at what I said. He then calmed down and said "Well you're in luck. They're still in place." He then proceeded to laugh again and then turned to the stairs and started going up. "Now that's a good one, baby doll."

This time I didn't follow him upstairs. I just stood in the same place, watching him go up and into the office and closing the door while still hearing him laugh. Somehow, it made me chuckle as well. I was just glad that everything went smoothly. I might just manage to deal with this man, somehow. Maybe.

I released a large sign, relaxing my mind and body. I was a little lost at what I should do now. Since I just practically slept in the stairway I wasn't feeling tired anymore. I didn't feel like walking back out to where The Joker's men were, so I decided to go up to The Joker's office. Opening the door, I saw The Joker, sitting in front a desk, drawing or writing down notes on different papers, speeding his pace as he wrote everything. He didn't really notice me entering the room. I closed the door and looked around to find a spare chair in the left end corner of the room to sit down on. It was next to a window which showed the view of the Sea which separated Gotham from Arkham. Walking towards the chair I kept my eyes focused on The Joker who still seemed like he didn't notice me being there and then sat down on the chair. I placed my arm in the armrest and my chin in my hand and looked out the dirty and fogged up window.

"Be a doll and get me those scissors" he suddenly asked me, without even looking up, still focusing on his 'work'

"Sure…" I replied, a little startled at the fact that he indeed took notice of me, yet said nothing before. I stood up and reached for the scissors which had been lying on the floor next to the chair I sat in, taking them and walked next to his desk, placing the scissors on top of his papers. I then asked him, being nosey me again "What are you doing?"

He turned his expression a little sullen. I wonder how I still haven't learned my lesson from before, asking him questions which I shouldn't be. He then put the pen he held in his hand on the table and picked up a piece of paper which he placed in front of me so I could see all the details. The paper contained drawings and sketches of what seemed like an architecture design of an amusement park, with a twisted 'Joker' theme to it. He even bothered to colour it all in, including all of the bloody corpses which he drew hanging from the fences displayed in the drawing.

"Just brainstorming ideas." He said to me, which made me look into his eyes and see an expression of pure depravity. He literally had this idea planned out in his head and ready to make it a reality. It made me feel a little sick inside. Imagining the place itself was nothing, compared to the sigh of the bodies that would decorate it.

"Seems like cheery place." I told him. I then looked away from the drawing and walked back to sit down in the chair next to the window.

Picking up the pen again he replied to me saying "Well…I hope it will _blow_ your mind when you see it." He followed that response with a loud laugh, which made me flinch and wonder what his irrational mind was thinking.


	8. Burning Scars

**Chapter 8: Burning Scars**

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><p>Whilst sitting on that chair, staring out the tinted and dirty window to the far away city of Gotham I was wondering to myself of what I was doing. What was I really doing here and why? After seeing what kind of man The Joker is, I am having second thoughts about this. I'm not really cut out for this type of life. I never was. It was just a spring of the moment. Yes. That was all.<p>

Turning my head back from the window I looked at him. Somehow, he looked so comforting. He just sat there, writing and scribbling, with a large grin on his face and keeping the tip of his tongue on the side of his lips, like an innocent child, with the face of a devil. Looking at his face, and the expressions he made; it made me so captivated. I was so entwined by him that it made me forget about everything around me.

I closed my eyes for a moment and returned back to reality. I was wondering on what I could do now, if I am to stay here and how am I going to survive. No combat skills. Can barely hold a gun. It made me even wonder why The Joker even took me. He could have just laughed at me when I asked to let me come, but yet he still took me. I don't think I ever figured out why.

Turning my head back to the window I noticed it was dark. I had no idea what time it was anymore. I suddenly remembered how my mother would always scold me when I used to stay up late at night when I was younger. She would always give me the same stern expression and I would just smile back at her, holding my ground. This made me remember how I left my house to go shopping and never came back. I even left the car in the parking lot. Shit.

Since from the looks of things I saw I was not needed here, I might as well decided to go and drive the car back home and explain to my mother that I am going to "move out". Need a convincing story to make her believe something though. Can't tell her the truth. I left the Steel Mill practically unnoticed as everyone minds their own business and I don't exactly have many fans here. I didn't even see Nelson on my way out. He was the only one I could really talk to around here. He seemed like the most normal from the bunch.

I took a bus to get to the shopping mall as walking would take a couple of hours. As I picked up the car from the parking lot, I kept on creating different stories in my head of what I will say to my mother. "I found a guy and he said we can move in together". No. Way to cliché.

I parked the car outside the house, noticing that the lights in the living room where on. I wasn't sure what time it was, but if I knew my parents, they would not usually be up this late. I had thought it was because I hadn't returned from shopping. I started walking up the stairs to get to the door, fiddling my pockets for my keys, and realising I have the gun with me. Shit. Need to be careful. I can't hide it anywhere now. Just stay calm.

I put the keys in and opened the door, entering the hallway quietly, and closing the door behind me. I took off my shoes and started to walk towards the living room door.

Looking down at my feet I was opening the door. "Hey…erm sorry I'm so late, went to meet someo-".

Again. Petrified. Again. Frozen. Feet locked on the ground, my arms and shoulders dropping, my head starting to spin. Eyes won't blink.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up. Now, now. Don't be shy."

His face was white. His hair was black. His cigar made my throat hurt as he approached me, taking me by my arm and throwing me on the ground in front of my parents. I slowly started to fade. My head was spinning. My heart couldn't take it. I managed to sit myself up on my knees, and looking up I saw my parents tied up, bound together back to back, mouths covered with tape, tears in my mother's eyes.

I could feel tears run down my cheeks, I couldn't even blink. I couldn't do anything. Suddenly feeling someone grab my hair and pull my head backwards, made me scream in pain. I grabbed their hand on my hair, trying to loosen it, when he bowed down next to my ear, and released smoke from his breath, stinking of cigars, making me flinch.

"You see…I think I had enough of all these games." He said into my ear, still making me shiver from his breath. "I don't think your little boyfriend knows what he's done." He gave a small chuckle and then whispered into my ear, "So now, I'm going to break his precious little toy."

After that he roughly pushed me forward, making me completely fall on the ground with my face down. I was still petrified. I looked at my mother again. I could see so much pain in her eyes, yet I couldn't do anything to save her. She didn't deserve this.

"Plea-please…please let them go…" I pleated him. I begged him. My body was shaking, shivering. I couldn't take my eyes away from my mother's even as I was speaking to him.

"But you see my dear, if I did that you won't learn your lesson. People need to learn what happens when they try to be smarter than everyone else. This is nothing personal, you're just a perfect pawn to set off the fireworks."

Ignoring what he was saying, as all I could think about was saving them. The people who raised me, no matter how stubborn I was, no matter how many tantrums. I started to crawl, slowly, closer, closer…Just a little bit more.

No. Stop. Let me go. Let me go to them.

"Sorry, but I need you to live". He pulled me by my hair backwards, towards the door, while talking. "Burn it down boys."

What? No! It can't be. This can't be real. No! I have to escape! I have to save them.

"NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! NO…NO…" I was struggling get out of his grip on my hair. I didn't care if he ripped them all out. I can't let them do this. "NO! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! WHY…LET THEM GO…LET…THEM...GO…please…"

"Enough struggling girl" He dropped me on the ground then and at the first chance I started crawling back, back to my family. "Where do you think you're going?" My arms got grabbed, I was forcibly lifted up, still facing the centre of the room, watching my mother's eyes.

From the side, I saw men walking towards my parents with barrels in their hands. My fear got out of control. I struggled, but couldn't escape the grip. I watched in agony, as they poured it all over them and around the room. No. I had to stop them. Someone, please. Please, help me.

"Alright boys, take her outside, I'll finish off here."

The last time I saw my mother, she was crying. The last time I saw my mother, she was afraid.

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><p><strong>Hello everyone, sorry I was gone with the story for so long. I was out on holiday over Christmas and also, I found it quite hard to write this chapter. I think I will be improving it in the future. Anyway thank you for reading so far, hope you are enjoying it. :) Also Happy New Year to you all!<strong>


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